The Night of Nights
by Highwaycrash
Summary: Graduation night for the third years were nearing. Tezuka and Fuji wants to find a gift for each other that was special. Let's see how their night will turn out :


**A/N: I'm still working on the next chapter of Hello, Europe! Okay, this was actually meant for chapter 2 but it turned out too one-shot-like so I changed it to a one-shot -.- **

When the examination period was finally over, graduation night for the third-years drew nearer. Despite being free from studying sessions, they were now busy with something else. All of them had only a few days left for preparing farewell presents for their fellow schoolmates and teachers.

Fuji and Eiji went gift-shopping together since they were in the same class and they shared presents to give their classmates and teachers. He had already prepared the redhead's present long time ago, a photo album with all precious memories captured on lens. He had caught the tennis team's unforgettable moments together and also the strong friendship between himself and his acrobatic friend that forged over the years. Pages of lovely smiles filled the brown leather album and the blue-eyed boy was looking forward to giving it to Eiji.

What he needed help for was Tezuka's gift. He only had a single photo of his barely-there smile but he wanted to give him something special too. He had been the captain that encouraged him and also a friend understood him well. Despite the lack of verbal communications between them, he felt a very strong bond between them. Despite his intolerance for nonsense, he accepted Fuji's random teasing and had even responded _cutely_ to some of them. Fuji wanted him to have something that would remind Tezuka of him.

"Eiji, do you think Tezuka would like it if I buy him a camera?" Fuji asked as they walked along the streets of Tokyo, in search of the presents.

"Of course, Fujiko! That's a wonderful gift! You two could even go on photography tours together if he gets interested," Eiji answered as he ran into a store in which he spotted something that caught his attention.

_Hmm, a camera it is then. _Fuji quickly caught up with his friend and they finished getting what they needed on that day.

On the other hand, Tezuka had Oishi go shopping for gifts with him. He too, wanted to get something special for Fuji and he had no idea what. Although he was a keen observer, he was not socially-inclined and did not know what would make a memorable present. He knew he could always count on Oishi as he had been a great vice-captain and also one of his closer friends (perhaps his _only_ close friend besides Fuji). He sought the vice-captain's opinion and Oishi suggested Tezuka get Fuji a necklace. _After all, Fuji would love anything that Tezuka gives, _Oishi thought internally.

"You've seen him wear those necklaces when we went out right?" Oishi gave Tezuka an assuring smile.

"Ah," Tezuka pondered over it for a moment and thought it was a good idea to give him something practical that he could wear.

He picked out a classy silver and black cross necklace and hoped that Fuji would like it.

It was Graduation Night at last, all the third years gathered in the Seishun Gakuen school hall for the very last time. This year's graduation theme was Masquerade, the girls were all dressed-up in elegant cocktail dresses and each of them had a masquerade in their hands. Whereas the boys still donned their gakuran [1] smartly as they would have worn on a school day. The hall was beautifully decorated by the juniors and teachers, who put in extra effort to make the senior's last night together, a memorable one. There was a huge banner across the stage that read "The Night of Masquerade" in white Japanese characters against a light blue background. A dance floor was positioned in the middle of the hall allowing students to take the spotlight while they danced to the music played by the school's orchestra. The rest of the hall was dimly lit with many candles placed on tables where the food was. Balloons were hung around in bunches on walls, along with trails of satin ribbons that hung across the room.

Couples danced gracefully across the dance floor while other students scattered over the hall, exchanging gifts, expressing gratitude to their teachers and taking photos of their dazzling night with everyone they saw.

The six tennis club seniors gathered in a corner after they had finished giving away their farewell present and thanking their teachers.

"Nya, Fuji! This photo album is lovely! Thanks a lot Fujiko!" Eiji exclaims after receiving his present from the smiling brunette and pounced on his back so forcefully, Fuji almost lost his balance. He could not help but give a genuine laugh when he saw that his best friend really liked the gift, turning the pages as it showed the passage of time, from their first year to their last.

"Oishi! Look! That's when we won our first doubles match!" Eiji pointed out the photos to his doubles-partner. The Golden pair continued to look at the photos and reminiscent their joyful days.

The rest of the regulars exchanged their gifts while Fuji went up to Tezuka, telling him a little guiltily that he would only be able to give him his present another day. Tezuka looked at him through his glasses with understanding hazel-brown eyes and told him it was alright and that he would be giving Fuji his present later in the night as well.

Soon, the graduation night was coming to an end. After the principal and student representative made their speeches, it was the time when the boys took out the second button of the top of his uniform to give it to the girl he had harbored feelings for in their three years of schooling together.

Fuji secretly took out his before he was swarmed by his fangirls and kept it in his pocket, not knowing how to give it to the person he really wanted to give. He glanced over to Tezuka who was already amidst many of his female fans and realized that his button was already gone. His heart sank for a moment but quickly regained his composure. He silently congratulated the lucky girl who managed to capture his stoic captain's heart.

As the seniors bade their last goodbye for the night, the atmosphere in the hall hinted a tinge of sadness as tears were shed by the very emotional people.

The regulars bade their goodbye and promised to still stay in touch and to lunch at Kawamura's family sushi restaurant once in a while and they headed off in different directions.

Tezuka and Fuji walked home together again. In the silence of the night, both of them had the chance to think about the day that had just ended. Tezuka was, in fact, thinking when the right time was to hand Fuji his present and finally found the courage to take out the little black box in his bag and put it in Fuji's palms, startling the brunette.

"Open it," Tezuka's deep voice was surprisingly gentle.

Slowly, Fuji's slightly trembling fingers opened the box and found a beautiful cross necklace in it. To his surprise, a golden button that looked very familiar laid in the box as well.

"… Is that your second button?" Fuji looked at the nervous-looking tall boy in front of him and understood his intentions perfectly.

He took out his button that was kept in his pocket and put it into Tezuka's hands. The other boy stared at button that was shoved into his palms and Fuji's soft palms that were now holding his. They stared lovingly into each others' eyes, not knowing what to do next.

Suddenly, Tezuka leaned in and their warm lips met. Fuji was caught off-guard but responded to the taller boy's gentle kiss.

[1] gakuran – school uniform for the middle school boys


End file.
